Investigation of quality of life of women with breast cancer living in kirkuk and affecting factors

Background: In women, breast cancer is one of the most common forms. Affects the physical, psychological, and social aspects of one's well-being. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the quality of life of patients with breast cancer living in Kirkuk and the factors affecting it. Method: It is a cross-sectional and descriptive study. The study was conducted at the Oncology and Hematology Center in Kirkuk, Iraq, between January 10, 2022- April 15, 2022. One hundred fifty women who met the sampling criteria formed the study's sample. Data were collected face-to-face with the Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Form and the WHOQOL-BREF Scale. The psychological health dimension consists of 6 items. The score varies between 6-30. A higher score indicates better psychological health. The social relations dimension consists of 3 items. The score ranges from 3-15. A higher score indicates better social relationships. The perimeter dimension contains eight items. The score varies between 8-40. A higher score indicates better environmental life. In the data analysis, number, percentage, mean, T-test, and ANOVA were used. Results: The mean age of the female participants was 45±19, and 28.7% had a high school graduate education. 67.3% were married, 77.3% were homemakers, 62.7% had less than expenses in income, and 96% did not smoke. Also, the female participants, 58.0%, were in the second stage, and 36.7% were diagnosed less than a year ago. The study also found that 98% of the women participants received surgical treatment, 98% of those received chemotherapy, 5.3% received radiotherapy, and 15.3% received hormonal therapy. In addition, 94.0% of the participants had a mastectomy, 73.3% had a family history of the disease, and 80% did not use oral contraceptives. 9.3% of the family history were cousins who had BC. The majority of the participants, women, 78%, had children. The mean score for the WHOQOL-BREF scale was GQOL was 5.6 ± 2.9, the mean score for the environmental sub-dimension of the WHOQOL-BREF scale was 26.0 ± 4.1, the mean score for the physical sub-dimension of the WHOQOL-BREF scale was 21.4 ± 3.7, the mean score for the psychological sub-dimension of the WHOQOL-BREF scale was 15.2 ± 3.7. The mean score for the social relationships sub-dimension of the WHOQOL-BREF scale was 8.2 ±1.9. When the WHOQOL-BREF scale was compared with demographic and clinical characteristics: There were significant differences determined in the GQOL and sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale: physical health, psychological health, social relations, and environmental health, based on age groups (p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences determined in the GQOL and sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, physical health, psychological health, social relations, and environmental health, based on educational level groups (p < 0.05). Significant differences were determined in the GQOL and sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, physical health, psychological health, social relations, and environmental health, based on occupation groups (p < 0.05). Significant differences were determined in the GQOL and sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, physical health, psychological health, social relations, and environment, based on the stage of the disease (p < 0.05). Significant differences were determined in the GQOL and sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, physical health, based on BC diagnosis time (p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in GQOL and the sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, physical and social relationships based on marital status groups (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were determined in the GQOL and sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, physical health, psychological health, social relations, and environment, based on the smoking factor (p > 0.05). There were statistically significant differences determined in the sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, physical, social relationships, and environmental health based on treatment methods received surgical factor (p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences determined in the sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, physical, social relationships and environmental health based on treatment methods received chemotherapy factor (p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences determined in the sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, social relationships based on treatment methods received radiotherapy factor (p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences specified in the sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, psychological, social relationships, and environmental health based on treatment methods received hormonal therapy factor (p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences determined in the sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, physical and social relationships based on the type of surgery being performed (p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences determined in the sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental health based on a family history of BC factor (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In our study, most patients were found to have a moderate QOL. A significant relationship was found between marital status and the sub-dimension of the WHOQOL-BREF scale. Our investigation determined that the variables that affect the sub-dimensions of the WHOQOL-BREF scale and are statistically significant are marital status, education level, stage of disease BC, time of diagnosis, treatment methods received, and family history of BC. Our study found that smoking had no statistically significant effect on the WHOQOL-BREF scale's sub-dimensions. 2022, 72 pages Key Words: BC, QOL, Iraq, Influencing factors